Palm-pad for bowling



March 1956 A. K. TUREAUD 2,738,190

PALM-PAD FOR BOWLING Filed March 5, 1953 INVENTOR Aloysius K. Tureoud BY v ATTORNEYS PALM-PAD FOR BOWLING Aloysius K. Tureaud, Detroit, Mich., assignor of onethird to Loyd A. Ward, Detroit, Mich., and one-third to George H. Broderick, Monroe, Mich.

Application March 5, 1953, Serial No. 340,454

' 1 Claim. 01. 273-54 This invention relates to bowling accessories, and more particularly to what may be termed a palm-pad with the aid of which a bowler may more readily and comfortably hold a bowling ball before and during his delivery thereof to the alley floor.

Normally when a bowling ball is properly gripped between the thumb and one or more fingers of a bowlers hand, there is a space between the surface of the ball and the palm of the hand, particularly between the surface of the ball and the deep, cup-like portion of the palm of the hand formed approximately in the center thereof when the ball is so held. It is the object of this invention to provide a device adapted to fill this space so that the palm 2,738,190 Patented Mar. 13, 1956 2 Fig. 4 is asectional view similar to Fig. 3 but taken along line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the palm-pad in supporting engagement with a bowling ball; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the palm-pad positioned in the palm of the hand of a user.

By reference to the drawing, it may be seen that the palm-pad body portion indicated generally at 10 has a generally convex bottom surface 11 and a generally concave upper surface 12. The convexity of the lower surface 11 is such that it will generally conform to the cupof the hand may be employed to aid in the support of the bowling ball, whereby a better balance thereof in the palm be taken that the concavity of the upper surface be such that, when engaged by a ball, it will contact the ball submay be achieved which will result in greater accuracy and skill in the game of the bowler.

According to the invention the device, which as previously indicated may be termed a palm-pad, comprises a body portion, one side of which has a generally convex configuration and will mate substantially with the con cavity of the palm of a bowlers hand when that hand is holding a bowling ball between the thumb and one or more fingers. The opposite surface of the palm-pad is substantially concave with a radius of curvature substantially the same as that of a standard bowling ball whereby, when in engagement with the bowling ball, substantially uniform and complete engagement is effected throughout this entire surface of the pad. The thickness of the pad is, as has been previously indicated, such that the pad fills the space which would normally be present between the palm of the hand of a bowler and a ball held by the thumb and fingers.

Various ways of attaching the palm-pad to the palm of a bowlers hand are contemplated, but perhaps the most advantageous is to provide the palm-pad with a strap suitably secured thereto and adapted to extend from one end of the palm-pad around the back of a bowlers hand to the other end of the palm-pad. The strap may be made of elastic material or may be merely adjustable in length, or both.

It is contemplated that the material of which the pad is made may be one of rubber, plastic, wood, etc., though it will advantageously be made of some material that exhibits some pliability or flexibility whereby its shape may change temporarily in use somewhat to conform to the shape of the space which it is to fill.

For a more detailed description of a palm-pad according to my invention, reference may be had ,to the accompanying drawing illustrating a particular embodiment thereof and in which: I

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a palm-pad showing the surface thereof adapted to engage a bowling ball;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the pad illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig. 1 showing in phantom a portion of a bowling ball engaged by the pad;

ping of the palm of a bowlers hand when the hand is curved to hold a bowling ball. The pad is considerably broader at one end than the other and is provided with a curved edge portion 13 (Figs. 1 and 6) providing for the reception of the heel of the bowlers thumb when the pad is contained or held in the palm of the hand. The narrow end portion of the pad extends across that portion of the palm between the thumb and the index and middle fingers.

The concavity of the upper surface 12 of the pad 10, as seen in Figs. 35, conforms substantially to the curvature of a bowling bowl 14 engaged thereby. It is not essential that thecurvature of the concave upper surface of the pad conform exactly to the curvature of the bowling ball when the pad is made of a deformable material because, when the ball is engaged thereby, the pad will readily deform so that the curvature of the upper surface matches that of the bowling ball. However, if the pad is made of a material that is not deformable, care should stantially throughout its extent.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings is provided at opposite ends with conventional staples 15, the prongs of which are embedded in the pad. An elastic strap 16 extends between and is secured at opposite ends to the staples 15 and may, if desirable, be provided with a conventional length take-up device 17. By means of this strap the pad may be readily held in place in the palm of a bowlers hand, as illustrated in way might be formed through the body of the pad through which a strap might be inserted, thus avoiding the necessity of staples or similar attaching means completely.

As has been previously indicated, the material from which the pad is made is not of any particular importance,

any material being satisfactory that will substantially retain its form when in use. Sponge, foam rubber, etc., and even wood, may be employed. I have constructed a number of pads from a plastic material known by the trade name Hysol 3401 Plastisol very satisfactory.

Various changes and modifications may of course be and these have proven made in the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated and described above without departing from the scope of my invention, and my invention should therefore be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A palm pad for bowling adapted, when held in the palm of a bowlers hand the fingers of which are holding ,a bowling ball, to engage both the bowling ball and the palm of the hand properly to position the ball with re spect to the palm, and adjustable means for holding the pad in the palm of a users hand, said pad having a curved surface engageable with the palm of the bowlers hand and a substantially concave opposite surface engagcable with the ball, the concavity of said opposite surface conforming substantially to the curvature of the balland being such that the line of intersection of said surface with any plane normal to said surface is an arc the radius of which is substantially equal to the radius of said bowling ball whereby the palm pad positions the bowling ball in a single fixed position with respect thereto. and the shape of said curved surface which is engageable with the palm of the bowlers hand conforming substantially to the shape of the cup-like cavity formed'in the palm of the users hand when the thumb and at least one finger of said hand are properly disposed to engage and are engaging the bowling ball to support it, the cross sectional shape of said palm pad in a plane between said opposite surfaces thereof further being narrow at the end adapted to be located between the users thumb and index finger and being substantially Wider and curved at its opposite end which is adapted to be located adjacent the little finger of the users hand.

' B fm'ns li es in h the "of this-pat nt UNITED STATES PATENTS MacChesney Feb. 21, 1939 ':-'--r:t.- -1-,-:- 

